By Akukwe, Francis Nnalue
The Bible tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth. The earth was formless and God set about to develop it and
to make it a little more habitable. He introduced light, the sky - a roof
for the earth, water, the soil, vegetation and fruits of all kinds. He
went on to decorate and furnish the earth and the heavens with the
sun, moon and stars; with animals, birds and fishes of all sorts.
Believing that the earth was then tolerably comfortable, God brought
in man to live in it. Man was indeed to take possession of this earth but
he had to continue from where God stopped to subdue, improve and
develop the earth for his great benefit and joy, and this in union with
God. "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have
dominion over all the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all
living things that move on the earth. See, I give you every seedbearing
plant all over the earth ... and all the animals of the land and
all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that bestride the
earth" (Gen. 1:28-30)